Missing 9-year-old boy with autism found dead

PEARLAND, Texas - ​Pearland Police have called off the search for 9-year-old Marcus McGhee who was found dead early Saturday morning.

Author:
WVEC Staff

Published:
5:10 PM EST November 26, 2016

Updated:
5:10 PM EST November 26, 2016

PEARLAND, Texas - ​Pearland Police have called off the search for 9-year-old Marcus McGhee who was found dead early Saturday morning.

Lt. Oneismo Lopez said the boy was found in a body of water near the family's property just before 7 a.m.

In a Facebook post, the department wrote:

"The Pearland Police Department regrets to inform the community that Marcus McGhee has been found. Today's search will be called off. We thank all of you for your efforts. The family is now in need of our prayers. Additional details will be released later."

Marcus went missing Thursday afternoon. He was last seen at a home in the 6700 block of Fite road.

His family was in town from Connecticut for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Because of his autism, search crews were told he couldn't cry out for help and that loud noises could scare him away.

On Friday, officers targeted areas between Cullen Boulevard and Hatfield Road and Brookside and Bailey Roads. Detectives also asked businesses along FM 518 or West Broadway to look at their cameras--to see if they might have caught a glimpse of something in a search that investigators admitted was tough.

Hundreds of people from the community gathered to help in the search for Marcus.

Marcus was the nephew of former NBA player Marcus Camby who played for the Houston Rockets.

A vigil will be held this evening at 6 p.m. at the Dad's Club which is a ball park located on 5522 Fite Road in Pearland.